In Bloom: Manfreda undulata ‘Chocolate Chip’

What a surprise when a flower stalk suddenly appeared on the Manfreda undulata ‘Chocolate Chip’ that currently resides in the jungle of potted succulents that is my office window! Manfreda is closely related to the agave (Family Agavaceae), a favourite genus that I have mentioned here and there on this website. Like agaves, manfredas grow

Iboza in Bloom

Last spring a friend with a car took me out of town to Richters Herbs, an all herb greenhouse that is about an hour or so outside of Toronto. As a non-highway driver without a car, I am always grateful for any opportunity to go out of town to a far flung greenhouse, garden centre,

My Month in the Caribbean (Dominica: Day 7)

So far, I have approached each of these looking back trip posts without a plan. Sometimes I can recall exactly what occurred and I start writing straight away. Other times I go through the folders of digital and film photos taken that day and build a story around the images. Before looking at images, I

Gayla in Bridgetown

My Month in the Caribbean (Barbados: Day Three)

I don’t like being a tourist. I like to see new places, but I’m not especially comfortable in the role of The Tourist. Or perhaps it is that I have been witness to the crass and vulgar behaviour of one too many Tourists on vacation and my discomfort lies in what feels like an unfair

Gayla with Giant Tillandisa

Looking Back at a Month in the Caribbean

Six years ago today, Davin and I embarked on a month-long trip that took us to 3 Caribbean islands. This trip was a really big deal for me as my maternal side is from the Caribbean, and until then I had never been, save a few weeklong trips to Cuba. At that time I had

Fiskars Project Orange Thumb Community Garden Grants

Fiskars Project Orange Thumb is Offering Community Garden Grants in 2016

Since 2002 Fiskars Project Orange Thumb® has awarded $1.6 million in cash and tools to 180 community garden groups across the US and Canada. In 2016 the green growing initiative will continue, awarding $3500 in cash and tools to each of 30 community gardens, and like last year, I will be returning as a member

Peterborough Community Garden

The Peterborough Community Garden Network’s Urban Grain Seed Project

Way back in the depths of deepest winter I accepted a position with Fiskars Project Orange Thumb® as a member of the editorial board. Project Orange Thumb gives a financial lending hand to community gardens in the US and Canada and this year 30 gardens were slotted to each receive $3,500 in cash and tools.

Tiny Padhye Lily

Big Impact with the ‘Tiny Padhye’ Lily

The ‘Tiny Padhye’ lily is a prolific yet compact variety with maroon and white flowers that was originally developed for container growing. Click through for more info and photos of this gorgeous lily…

D.I.Y Tomato Protection

According to the charts, we are now past the point of frost danger here in Toronto. Many of my neighbours have already planted out their entire tomato crop. I have not. I can recall at least a few past years in which a fluke weather system came through when it was least expected, completely decimating

Tumbling Composter

Tumbling Composter Update

Three years ago the sustainable living company Eartheasy sent me the Jora JK125 Tumbling Composter to try out in my garden. This weekend we emptied and moved the contraption from a shady corner against the house to a newly cleared spot beside a composting bin that we built from an old futon frame. I posted

The Garden Comes ALIVE! A Spring Garden Tour

Since last weekend we’ve been enjoying a sudden burst of spring here in Toronto. On Saturday Davin and I did a big walk about the city wearing winter jackets and sometimes even gloves, and on Sunday we were out cleaning up the garden in t-shirts! The warmth has held, which means that growth in the